Kieran Culkin cringes as co-star Julie Delpy says she wishes she was African American

By Abby Amoakuh

Updated Apr 4, 2024 at 11:17 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

56421

We have one question for Julie Delpy: why? The French-American actress and screenwriter stirred up some considerable controversy when an old interview from 2016 resurfaced, in which Delpy tried to illustrate the pitfalls of being a woman in Hollywood. To make her argument, the star shockingly stated that she wished she was—hold your breath—African American instead. I know, I’m also not sure what was wrong with her that day…

https://www.tiktok.com/@moviemaniacs/video/7352249067730406699

“There is nothing worse than being a woman in this business,” the actress stated definitively. “I sometimes wish I was African American, you know because I think at least people don’t bash them afterwards when they say something about a reality we know like xenophobia. You know we live in a xenophobic environment, not just the economy of course, but the entire world.” 

Delpy continued: “I think its probably the hardest to be a woman because feminists are probably something that people hate above all. Like I believe there is nothing worse than being a woman in this business,” she concluded.

Throughout her whole speech, we can see Succession star Kieran Culkin trying to disappear in his seat and, honestly, we don’t blame him.

The video originated from the Sundance Film Festival in 2016 where the two actors were promoting the movie Wiener-Dog.

The clip understandably went viral on social media, with many netizens questioning Delpy’s inability to understand that being Black and a woman was not mutually exclusive considering that Black women, well, exist.

“Prime example of why intersectionality is so important,” one TikTok user argued. “Has she ever heard of people who are both?” another user questioned.

Someone else joked: “Kieran is looking around like, ‘Y’all ain’t gonna stop this interview?’”

Unfortunately, the interview didn’t stop and Delpy was allowed to make her point without being reminded that being Black or African American was definitely not easier than being a woman. It allowed her to trivialise and ignore the burden that Black women shoulder, as well as promote competition rather than collaboration between marginalised groups.

Keep On Reading

By Abby Amoakuh

BBC presenter apologises after giving the middle finger to audience mid-broadcast

By Alma Fabiani

Racism is in the air, literally: how segregation affects the weather

By Abby Amoakuh

Gender pay gap denier gets paid £200 for Sky News debate on misogyny, female guest gets nothing

By Eliza Frost

How exactly is the UK government’s Online Safety Act keeping young people safe? 

By Eliza Frost

All the Easter eggs from the first episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3

By Eliza Frost

American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney face backlash with employee’s LinkedIn post adding fuel to the fire

By Eliza Frost

How fans manifested Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

By Eliza Frost

How Jet2holidays and Jess Glynne became the sound of the summer

By Eliza Frost

Couples who meet online are less happy in love, new research finds

By Charlie Sawyer

Transformers director Michael Bay officially confirmed to direct movie about viral Skibidi Toilet meme

By Eliza Frost

The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 proves we’ll never be over love triangles

By Charlie Sawyer

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega reveals surprising dream role in recent interview

By Abby Amoakuh

Tiktoker gets slammed by dermatologists for promoting dangerous caveman skincare regime

By Charlie Sawyer

President Trump and JD Vance angry over the DNC setting up a taco truck outside RNC headquarters

By Charlie Sawyer

Penn Badgley praised for opening up about fatherhood and raising sons on Call Her Daddy

By Eliza Frost

Netflix’s new Trainwreck documentary exposes the rise and scandalous fall of American Apparel

By Eliza Frost

What is the Gen Z stare, and why are millennials on TikTok so bothered by it?

By Eliza Frost

Why do people want a nose like the Grinch? The Whoville TikTok trend explained

By Charlie Sawyer

SHEIN faces fines from EU for deceiving customers with fake discounts and misleading information

By Eliza Frost

Taylor Swift announces new album on Travis Kelce’s podcast. Everything we know about TS12 so far